Locking device.



H. I. OWEN. LOOKING DEVICE. APPLiUATION FILED APR. 20, 1911}.

Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

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UNITED STATES rmnn'r rowan, or rumor, mssotmr.

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Specification of Batters Patent. Patented Aug; 15, 191 1. Application filed April 20, 1910. Serial No. 586,556.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that'I, HENRY IQO WEN, a

' citizen of the United States, residing at Fulton, in the county of Callaway and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in'Lockin'g Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadtherein to the accompanying drawing. i This invention provides a catch or ratchet for holding a lever. or other movable element in locked position against tension.

Among other things, it is suitable for use in connection with levers used on motor-vehicles for controlling various parts thereof.

. It is an object of the invention to provide a catch or ratchet which will operate to antomatically lock a lever orother element.

when the latter is moved tomaintain some part connected therewith, as for example a cut-out valve of a motor-vehicle, in a desired position or condition, and which will autoniatically release when a motion is given the tion herein, the details of construction and lever or other element similar to that imparted in bringing it to locked position.

When read in connection with the descriparrangement of parts contemplated by this invention will be'apparent from the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof,

' wherein an embodiment of the invention as applied to a foot-lever of a motor-vehicle is disclosed, for purposes of illustration. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is susceptible ofuse with various other devices, that the several instrumentali- "ies of which the invention consists can be variously organized without departing from the nature and spirit of the invention, and that the invention is not to be necessarily limited-in the interpretation of the claims hereinafter to the precise delineation herein.

Like reference-characters refer to corresponding parts in the views of the drawings, of which Figure 1 is a view of one side; Fig. 2 is a 'view of the opposite side; and Fig. 3 is a front view.

Referring more particularly to the drawlngs, 4: designates a. base or plate. wherein is fulcrumed. as at 5. a lever 6 of a controlment of pin-7. A spring '10 normally holds the freeend of the catch in a position to be properly en aged by pin 7', in a 'manner pivot. The catch has a surface 11., on the side normally toward the pin, which extends from its end to an entrance 12 of a slot 13 formed in'the face of the catch adjacent to the lever. Slot .13, extends inwardly and downwardly from its entrance and then to the side opposite to surface 11 with a slight upward inclination, whereby are formed a stop-wall 14 opposite to the entrance, a locking-wall 15 below the entrance, and an upwardly-inclined release-wall 16 extending vA beveled surface 17 extends from the end of the slot opposite to the entrance to 'the end of the catch where it meets sur ace 11. The springlO is so tensioned as to normally maintain the catch in'such position that the pin 7 will contact surface 11 when the le- -When the pin, in its movement in contact with this surface, reaches the entrance '12, the spring will move the catch'so that it will come in contactwith both the lockingwall 15 and the release-wall 16, the releasewall preventing further upward movement of the'catch and consequent disengagement of the pin therefrom. The, lever is given tendency-to move away from the catch by a spring 18 or its equivalent, forming part of an operating-rod 19 of a controlling mechanism or attached to some fixed part, as de sired.

When the operator wishes to throw the lever to locked position-to maintain a part,

mentthe lever is ,held in locked position sure on the lever. Continuance of movementof the lever in direction given to bring it to locked position is arrested at the proper. time by engagement wall 14 opposite to ver is moved in direction to be locked.-

engagement with the pin, by which engage against movement away from the catch and at which time the operator may release pres of the, pin with stop-P the slot-entrance, this,

near. the lever, as at 9, in the plane of movehereinafter escribed, and so that the catch may be moved in either direction on its from the Wall- 15 to the side of the catch.

for example, controlledhby-rod 19 inv a dearrest of motion being particularly necessary when the lever is given a quick movethe end opposite tothe entrance.

' this movement, the pin engages upwardlyinclined wall 16 which slightly swings the catch .in thesame direction as engagement withsurface 11 until the pin passes out of the slot. 'When the pin becomes disengaged from the slot, the catch is; returned to its normal position by spring 10, when the exit .end of the ,slot is above the pin, and thenthe lever is free to be returned to its normal unlocked position,.

, the pin during this movement passing the v It will be seen: that a trolled by a foot-pedal in a motor-vehicle,

catch by engagement with surface 17 and swinging the catch sufliciently to permit the passage. M r lever, such as concan be easily brought to locked'position and as easily unlocked by mere pressure on the pedal, in each instance in the same direction, and that double pedals, one for-actuation and the other for unlocking, and com:

.plicated pedal structures of other forms, such as heretofore used to lock and unlock vehicle-levers, may be dispensed by the use of this invention.. .v p

The terms upper and lower and the like used in describing the locking-catch are merely relative to the particular form and arrangement shown inthe drawings, being employed only for convenience of descrip- .tion, and notvrestricting the invention to the exact posit-ion shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 1. Ina controlling mechanism the combination, with a controlling member having a projection thereon,'of a catch having a slot open at each end adapted to receive said projection, a spring, a locking-wall in said slot arranged to be moved by said spring into contact with said. projectlon upon its movement-into theslot -1n one direction, and

:a release-wall arranged to stop relative movement of the parts when the projection and locking-wall are engaged and to permi-t disengagement thereof .upon subsequent movement of said direction. v 2. In a controlling mechanism, the combi' nation, with a controlling member, of a locking member having a' slot open at each end adapted to receive a portion of said controlling member and said slot having surfaces projection in the same.

arranged to be ,contacted by and to lock said controlling memberupon movement of a portion of the latter in one direction into the slot, and means whereby said-controllidg member is brought into locking engagement with one of said surfaces at one stage of the movement and whereby it is disengaged from said locking member upon continuance of movement of the controlling member 1n the same direction and out of said slot.

3. In a controlling mechanism, the combination, with a controlling member, of a pivoted catch having a slot open at each end amlforined with contact surfaces arranged to lock said controlling member upon movement of a portion thereof in one direction into said slot and into contact with said surfaces, and means whereby said controllingsurfaces arranged to be contacted by an,

to lock said projection upon movement 0 the latter in one direction in said slot, and means whereby said projection is brought into locking engagement with .one of said surfaces at one stage of the movement and whereby it is disengaged from said slot upon continuance of movement of said controlling member in the same direction.

5. Tire controlling mechanism, the combination, with a controlling member having a projection thereon, of a locking member having a slot open at each end and containing a locl ing-wall, means whereby said projection is brought into contact with said locking-wall upon movement of said controlling member in one direction, and means whereby said projection is released from said locking-wall. and from the slot upon a subsequent movement of said controlling member in the same direction.

6. In a controlling mechanism, the combination, with a controlling member having a projection thereon, of a locking member having a slot open at each end arranged to receive said projection and formed with a surface arranged to arrest movement of said project-ion when it has reached locked position, and; means whereby said controlling member is unlocked upon a subsequent n'iovement of said projection in the same direction and out of the slot.

7. In a controlling mechanism, the combination, with a controlling member having a projection thereon, of a catch having a slot open each end formed with a stopcontact-surface thereon and a slot open at each end and having therein a lockingwall,

and a spring controlling the movement of said'catch, the arrangement being such that on movement of the projection in one direction it engages said contact-surface and then enters said slot and engages said lockingwall and upon subsequent movement of said projection in the saine direction it will be dlisengaged from said wall and from said s ot;

9. In a controlling mechanism, the combination, with a controlling, member having a projection thereon, of a catch having a slot therein open at each end adapted to receive said projection and forming a locking- Wall and a release-Wall, and. a, spring arranged to bring said locking-"wall into con tact with said projection u-pon entrance of the latter into said slot in one direction and to move said slot from registry with said projection upon subsequent movement of "saidprojection in the same direction and in cpntact With said release-Wall and out of the S 0t;

10. An operating mechanism comprising a lever having a projection thereon, a pivoted catch having ,a slot extending thereacross and adapted to receive said projection and having therein a locking-Wall engageable thereby, and yielding means operating to normally maintain the exit end of said slot out of the path of movement of said projection.

11. An operating mechanism comprising a lever having a projection thereon, a pivoted catch having a slot thereacross and adapted to receive said projection and containing a locking-wall engageable thereby, there being an exterior contact-surface on said catch leading to said slot, and yielding means op;

erating to: normally maintain the entrance" and exit ends of the slot out of registry with said projection andthe contact-surface normally in the path of movement thereof.

In testimony whereof I afiix. my sighature in presence of two Witnesses. j HENRY I. Witnesses:

.J. W. TINCHER, S. P. BEovEN. 

